Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25, Victoria Vakser ’26, and Sophia Venturino ’26:
On March 8, Kellenberg’s Boys Track and Field team competed at the New York State Federation Championships. The team was one of only two Long Island Schools to qualify for the 4×200 relay and the highest ranking Long Island school. The team qualified for the final as seventh seed and finished fifth overall, exceeding expectations.
Damion Gordon Jr. ‘s silver medal performance at the NY Catholic State Varsity Championships and his record-setting performance at the LI Elite Meet earned him a spot at the State Federation Championships.
At the LI Elite Meet, Damion completed the 55-meter dash in a striking 6.52 seconds, surpassing his own record multiple times and even setting a new school record. This enormous win at the LI Elite Meet placed Damion ahead of all the top competitors in both Suffolk and Nassau Country– including both Catholic and public schools– making him the fastest sprinter on Long Island.
Damion, only a sophomore, now holds the top four times in school history for the event.
Back when he was in the freshman division, Damion absolutely dominated the competition, which he says built his pride up too much. When he was pushed to run against older athletes, Damion understood humility by recognizing that he wasn’t the favorite, which gave him a sense of what it really took to succeed in the sport. During the offseason, he decided to shift his focus to his weaknesses rather than harping only on his strengths.
Gordon was mentored by Nicholas Wright, the 2024 Indoor 55m NYSPHSAA champion, over the summer. Damion describes how his mentality changed as a result of this experience: Nicholas’ personality helped Damion to realize that a great athlete is one that is teachable, hard- working, and always willing to learn. It was then that Damion Gordon made a promise to himself: he would become one of the fastest sprinters in New York State. He says that many people thought he was crazy, but that only gave him more motivation to strive for his goal.
When he beat the school record for the first time, he reflected, “It felt unreal because a year ago I would never have positioned myself in the place that I was.” Damion is only fifteen years old and consistently races with people that are 2-3 years older. He acknowledges that he is still learning and that now when he races, he doesn’t feel the need to think about others or the mistakes that could happen; instead, he shifts his mind to remind himself of who he is, what it took to get there, and his willingness to strive to be even greater.
Damion’s wisdom, maturity, and athleticism are not difficult to see; he himself has commented, “Greatness isn’t built on talent alone, but is forged through humility, resilience, and the willingness to learn. I don’t run to prove others wrong, I run to prove myself right.”
Additionally, Nicolas Baldwin set two massive personal bests in the 300-meter dash trials and finals, securing a place to represent the CHSAA in the intersectional distance medley relay.
The 4×200 relay team of Mario Sanabria, Nicolas Baldwin, Oscar Nuñez, and Damion Gordon Jr. also qualified for the State Federation Championships. Special thanks to Amir Ajenishe for his crucial role in helping the relay qualify for the final. This excellent performance earned the team All-State Honors in this event for the first time since 2004.
The following weekend, the team of Nicolas Baldwin, Mario Sanabria, Amir Ajenishe, and Zach Paggi brought home bronze medals in the 4×400 relay at the USATF Indoor National Championships.
“I’m thoroughly impressed with their commitment and dedication despite less than ideal weather conditions and injuries,” shared head coach Mr. Moncada.
On Sunday, March 2, the fastest Firebirds in the state competed in the NYSPHSAA Track State Federation in Staten Island. In order to earn a spot in this prestigious meet, athletes must either run below the required time or finish in the top two of their respective races at the intersectional championships .
Sophomore Damion Gordon Jr. achieved this feat for the 55m dash and also ran alongside Nicolas Baldwin, Mario Sanabria, and Oscar Nunez in the 4×200 relay. Nunez particularly stood out because he has set huge personal bests which helped qualify for Federations.
Teammate Ethan Linzey says, “It’s amazing to see the incredible amount of work these four athletes have put in to begin to pay off.”
Mr. Brown, who supervises the boys’ and girls’ track teams, remarked, “We are extremely proud of the team and their developments.” Regarding the conclusion of the season, he noted, “It’s been a fruitful year for the sprinters and the throwers, while the distance runners are young and continuing to improve their abilities.”
With this feat, the group earned the “All State” title, placing them among the greatest sprinters in the state.
The team will close out the season at the Nike Indoor Nationals.
